We stood in front of Capital Hall as planned, the eight of us lined up before the massive stone structure while the guards checked us over for weapons and such. Sure it was annoying, but when any of the ponies coming in or out of the building could be a Blood Claw member in disguise, there was no expense spared for the protection of the nation’s leaders. Of course with Mythic Song as the head stallion on deck, anypony who attacked the capital with anything less than an army was more foolhardy than brave. The good news for us was that our greatest weapon wasn’t something physical like a blade. We had dragon magic on our side, and hopefully that was the one thing Mythic would never see coming.

The guard that had patted me down nodded once to his companions, their reactions a mirror to his as they stepped aside. We walked as a group up the massive front steps and into the main hall through equally massive front doors. The mechanisms to open and close them were as big as Shield Fang and probably weighed ten times as much, their interlocking gears and levers so complex I could imagine Smit having a field day figuring out how they worked.

We were led by a steward up a spiral staircase on the right side of the hall, looping up and around enough to make me slightly dizzy by the time we reached the top.

He turned to us and held up his hoof for us to wait, “You must wait here until I have determined that Lord Song is not busy with other matters. Stand there and do not move until I send for you.”

He pushed open the door and walked in, closing it behind him as we sat like a sack of potatoes.

“What could possibly be more important than meeting with the new co-champions of Equestria?” Ivy asked, “He was the one who told us to be here by a certain time, not the other way around.”

I shrugged, “Who knows? Could be he got set back in a meeting or something. You never know what might come up out of the blue.”

Nilak ground his teeth in frustration, I wish they would hurry up already. I want to get this started before he catches wind of something that might clue him in to what we’re up to.

Patience my friend, Whiteout said with a calming tone, this battle will be a long one and most likely will involve some of us being injured in some form or other. Do not rush into a situation that you know could get you killed.

He huffed as he turned his gaze away from the older dragonelle, I spent years training for this. Now that the time has come I feel like I have to get it done before the chance slips through my claws. I don’t have time to be cautious when the fate of the world is at stake.

Then think of what would happen if you did rush in and got killed because of your recklessness, Shield Fang countered. You can’t save anyone if you die in the process. Even if it was to save the planet, what would Mel think if she lost you?

Mel? Nilak turned to look at the normally quiet dragon, what about her?

Oh come on Nilak, Winx huffed as her frills jumped to attention, do we really have to spell it out for you? Mel would be crushed if you died in order to save the world. Don’t try and tell me she would understand if you made the ultimate sacrifice. You’re her world and if you bit the dust without doing your best to get out of this alive, she’d be broken beyond hope because you are the only thing that matters to her on that level. She stepped up and pressed her muzzle against Nilak’s, locking her gaze with his, so don’t even think about sacrificing yourself when you have someone who is waiting for you to come home to her.

She surprised us all when she pushed onto her back legs and pressed her front paws against Nilak’s chest in order to get even further in his face, Mel is my best friend in the world, and if you break her heart by pulling some noble sacrifice bullshit I swear I’ll bring you back to life just so I can kill you myself. Is that clear?

Nilak nodded furiously, his body frozen in what I could only call fear. He wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the room had frozen in shock at the little dragon’s outburst, given it was so far out of character for her that we had never seen it coming. Winx nodded once and hopped off of Nilak’s chest, walking over to Ivy with her tail held straight and her head tilted up like she had every right to be mad at Nilak. She sat down next to Ivy and it was like the old Winx had never left. Her frills were down and her expression was one of excited impatience.

Meanwhile, the rest of our group was trying to figure out what in Tartarus just happened.

It was Black Beauty who broke from the spell first. Given she had elected to leave off her mask, it was much easier to read her emotions and thoughts. She shook her head a couple of times and cleared her throat, “Well, uh, that was a bit, well, dramatic.” She pushed her mane behind her ear before turning to the rest of us, “Regardless of how it was said, Winx is right. We all understand that this is going to be a difficult battle. But even at our most dire, we cannot give in and use our own lives for the common good.”

She turned to look at me and Ivy, “We all have ponies who are waiting for us, friends who care about what happens to us. We cannot give in until the very last. If we are to die here today, then we will do everything to make it as hard as possible to take. We will not give into fear and we must do whatever is necessary to make it out of this alive.” Her gaze traveled over all of us one by one, “Are we in agreement?”

We nodded, our spirits rising as our gazes grew hard and our backs straightened. I didn’t know for sure, but I felt that at least now, we could go into the next room with our minds clear and our hearts steadfast.

Not a second later the door cracked open and the steward stuck his head out, “Lord Song will see you now.” He pushed the door open all the way and stepped aside, “Mind your manners or I will be forced to remove you from the premises.”

Nilak snorted once, though he quickly clammed up when the steward sent him a penetrating look. We walked past the stuffy unicorn and into a large room. He closed the door behind us with a resounding crash, the echoes bouncing around the bare expanse while the sun shone in from the massive windows that made up most of the right wall. The roof was vaulted and rose almost forty feet above our heads, though the odd thing was that there seemed to be nothing else in the room save for a raised dais with a single throne in its center. Behind the dais was a wall of black curtains, but Mythic was nowhere to be found.

I was just opening my mouth to ask if we had the wrong room, when the lights suddenly went out. The dragons hissed in surprise while Ivy and Thunder yelped. Black Beauty and I spun towards the windows to see what had blocked the sunlight, but that thought came crashing down when we realized that the walls were no longer there. In fact, the only thing I could see beside the floor was the black curtains and throne.

Ivy screamed as cruel laughter echoed around the room, and I turned a full circle to try and find its source. The only problem was that the echoes and the pitch darkness surrounding us combined to make the location of the laughter impossible to pinpoint. Ivy grabbed ahold of me as the laughter came to a halt, though it was soon followed by something even more sinister.

“You thought you could fool me,” Mythic’s voice bounced around the room like a specter, “You honestly thought that I didn’t know your plan from the very beginning?”

“Show yourself coward!” Black Beauty yelled as she fell in behind Thunder. Nilak and the other dragons made a larger circle around us in the hope to stop any attacks before they could do harm.

Mythic’s cruel laughter echoed through the room again, “I can feel the magic in every collar in this city. I can tell simply by being around a dragon if it is under my control. Oh you may have thought you fooled me, but you were gravely mistaken.”

I spun around as his voice condensed into a single point behind me and Ivy, “I knew the moment you entered Canterlot that your partners were free of my spell. The only thing I couldn’t understand was why.” We spun around again as his voice emanated from a point on our right, “Now I know what you wanted. You were planning on coming here and slaying me in order to free the other beasts under my sway.”

Nilak roared as he flared his wings, his eyes flicking from left to right, you enslaved my kind! You took the fear ponies had of us and used it for your own selfish gain! We are not slaves for you to toy with as you please! And you can drop the ‘I’m completely shocked’ routine. We know you’re planning on using the dragons to take over the world. You do control the collar spell after all. How no one saw that coming is a mystery to me, but the end result is still the same. Once you control the planet, there will be no place left for my kin to hide, and nowhere to run to if you discover us. He took a single threatening step forward, his eyes locked straight ahead, your plan ends now Mythic Song. The dragons will be free by the end of this day!

“My, my,” Mythic’s voice held what almost sounded like genuine surprise, “I had expected your dragons to be capable of speaking, but this is truly news to me.”

I felt a sudden chill run up my spine, and I spun around as Mythic’s voice bounced from one corner of the room to the next, “I never expected your precious mount to be one of those free lizards that have eluded me for so long. I will have a grand time making you spill all of your secrets once you are under my control.”

Nilak kissed in rage as his eyes narrowed to slits, I’d sooner slit my own throat than betray my comrades.

Mythic’s laughter only made the darkness around us even more menacing, “That can be arranged if you so desire, although that would be a waste of such a noble specimen such as yourself. Pity your free will makes you such a thorn in my side.”

Winx bristled as she stepped up next to Nilak, her eyes smoldering with hatred, you never even gave me a chance you heartless monster! I never knew true love while under the control of these despicable devices. She raked her claws over the collar, leaving gashes in the metal as her frills trembled under her raw emotion, I never knew how much Ivy cared for me. I never knew what it was like to enjoy being alive and being with friends and ponies I love! I was no better than a doll that could be moved about and could be made to do simple things!

Her whole body was shaking now, and I heard Ivy gasp as twinkling tears dropped from Winx’s jaw to the stones below. She sniffed once, her gaze both glowing with hatred and shining with her tears of regret, I can never get back those years of being a mindless toy. I can never relive my childhood and growing up with Ivy and her family. I can never know how much they sacrificed and how much they gained from my life. I know you think dragons are your toys, that you can use us and abuse us however you see fit, but let me tell you something. We are not playthings, we are not going to stand by any longer, and we will do everything in our power to bring you down once and for all! DO YOU HEAR ME MYTHIC SONG?! YOUR OPRESSION ENDS TODAY!!!

Before any of us could react, Winx drew in a deep breath and roared as loud as she could, a burst of crimson flames with a white core shooting from her gaping maw as she roasted a wide arc in front of her. She quickly spun around and did the same behind her, forcing us ponies and Shield Fang to jump out of the way as she ignited the ground in another arc. Blast after blast she kept firing, until the only place left untouched was the wall that had the curtains and the throne. Winx panted as her legs trembled, and Nilak had to step in to support her as her strength gave out.

She looked up at him with lidded eyes, her expression one of self-pride, did I get him?

Nilak shook his head once, I doubt that Mythic would go down so easily, but I am so proud of you for saying what you did. You have proven your worth over and over again that you deserve to be a part of this team, and now you have taken that to the next step. You have done something that not even the majority of the free dragons could do.

Winx tilted her head slightly, what could I do that even free dragons can’t?

Nilak smiled as he rubbed his muzzle against hers, they could never earn my respect, at least not like you have.

Winx purred as she closed her eyes, although the moment was shattered as Mythic’s voice came from behind the curtains, “Oh, such a touching moment. A pity that all it did was bore me.”

The curtains rustled and parted as a black cloaked figure stepped around the center fold, our bodies going on high alert as he walked up and leaned against the left side of the throne. He took his time in flipping back his hood, revealing Mythic Song as we knew him, but now without the calm and caring façade he showed the public. In its place was a cruel and sadistic mind that showed no mercy, only death to the lucky and enslavement to the rest.

“Now that you have my attention,” he drawled as he pulled two curved swords from the folds of his robes, “let’s see if all that talk of killing me was genuine.”

Nilak pushed Winx behind him as he lowered his head with narrowed eyes, you want a fight, then you’ll have one Mythic. But not before I ask a question.

Mythic’s expression changed to one of mild interest, “Very well. What do you wish to know before we begin our little war?”

Why? Nilak asked, all I want to know is why you did all of this. Why enslave the dragons after we taught you our magic? Why go to war against your own kind?

“I believe that was actually three questions,” Mythic drawled, “but I understand the answer to all of them is likely one and the same. You want to know why I did all of this? Because I could. When you can live for hundreds of years and have the power to shape the world in your own image, who in their right mind would turn down that kind of future?”

Nilak and the others bristled in anger, so you did all of this, for sport? You enslaved millions and plotted to take over the planet, all because you could? What kind of twisted reasoning led you to believe that you would ever get away with it?

Mythic indicated the room around us like it was the only explanation he needed, “It worked didn’t it? I own the world, at least in the background. I have enslaved the minds of nearly all dragons with only your meddlesome brethren unaccounted for. What more could I possibly want? I literally own everything. When the time comes, not even your precious Princesses will be able to stand against me. Even they cannot stand against he power of an entire planet's worth of dragons. Celestia and Luna may rule the day and night, but when I take over, there won't be a single pony or dragon on this world that won't tremble in terror at the mere mention of my name. And besides,” he stood up straight and flipped the swords around in his magic while smiling darkly at us, “Even if you planned to put an end to all of my schemes, you forgot one little fact.”

He waved a hoof through the air between us and vanished like he was an illusion. We spun in every direction, trying to locate where he had gotten to, until I heard Ivy scream behind me. I jerked around and gasped when I saw Mythic standing behind Ivy with one of his blades pressed against her throat.

He chuckled with a wicked gleam in his eyes as he leaned down to speak next to Ivy’s ear, “I’m a wizard, and that means unless you brought more than your paltry beasts and big speeches, you can never hope to defeat me.”

My anger flared to new heights, overshadowing my fear in my fury at the deplorable being that stood before me. I felt the familiar heat of our bond in the center of my chest, and before I could fathom why, I held my hooves together in front of my chest and concentrated. A warm glow emanated from my joined limbs, and as I pulled them apart a small sphere of white fire began to form in the space I had created. Mythic was busy teasing Ivy and talking garbage to the others, so his attention was elsewhere when I pulled back my hoof and threw the fireball at his head.

It hit him just above his right eye, his monologue cut off mid-sentence as he yelled in agony. In the moment his focus was shattered, Ivy slipped under the blade and raced to Winx, who embraced her with her forelegs and wings as Ivy wept into the base of her neck. Nilak took this moment to shoot a blast of his blue fire at Mythic, but by that time he had recovered enough to see it coming. The singed fur on the side of his head reformed to its normal state, the burns on his face and jaw vanishing as he faced down Nilak’s attack. I watched as a bubble of black power formed around his body, shielding him from the flames as they split and surged off into the darkness like water over a rock. Nilak cut off his flames and raced toward the bubble with his front paws enveloped in gold light, but when he slashed through the shield Mythic was nowhere to be seen.

The next several minutes seemed to pass by at a snail’s pace. It was like the world had gone into slow motion and all I could do was watch as Mythic appeared and then disappeared, leaving a dragon or pony crying out in pain as blood ran down a leg or wing. I could see my friends trying to hit him when he would materialize, but it was like trying to hit a cloud of smoke. Anything the dragons did seemed to be just too slow to make contact, or he would block the blow with one of his swords while attacking with the other. The ponies had it even worse. Ivy was bleeding from several cuts along her legs and across her barrel, while Winx tried desperately to protect her from harm. The small dragonelle was bleeding heavily from gashes along her right side and had several cuts through the webbing of her frills, dripping blood down her face and neck as she spun to try and fend off the unrelenting attacks.

Shield Fang and Whiteout weren’t doing much better. They had fallen in back to back like their pony counterparts, but it only seemed to make it easier for Mythic to get under their guard. One time I saw him snap into being between them, but just as Shield Fang was about to bash his skull in he had to pull his blow in order to avoid slashing Whiteout, who was too busy looking the other way to see the battle behind her.

Black Beauty’s clothes were hanging on by the thinnest of margins, her legs and flanks now completely bare save for some shredded remains. Her eyes were narrowed in concentration as she struck out with her own magic, her hooves gripping the hilts of two daggers while Thunder covered her back with a set of wing blades. I tried to forge a magic weapon of my own, but every time I got something going another line of burning pain would shatter my concentration. I knew Mythic could have killed us ten times over by now, but somehow I knew that he had something better in mind for us. The dragons would be useful if working collars could be placed around their necks, but the only thing I could imagine us being useful for was insurance in case the dragons ever broke free again. Mythic could keep us alive and imprisoned for as long as he needed just in case any of our partners freed themselves or were freed by another of the wild dragons.
Our future didn’t look very promising. Already the dragons were weakening, and Ivy looked like she had already passed out against Winx’s flank. Thunder and Black Beauty were still standing, but their weapons were starting to flicker in and out of existence. I knew it was going to be mere moments until they phased out altogether.

Just as Mythic reappeared in front of me, a twisted smile on his face and the tips of his swords pressed against my throat, the right wall exploded in a shower of glass and blinding light. Something large and purple came crashing into the room, knocking Mythic away from me with enough force to shatter the illusion that had imprisoned us. The stone walls and ceiling reappeared as the remaining glass from the window clattered to the floor. I looked up with disbelieving eyes as familiar sandstone scales and purple hide gave way to still-healing scars and a barely held together set of armor. I moved my gaze up until I met a set of bright green eyes, the beaming smile and black mane leaving no doubt as to who was looking down from Mel’s saddle. I knew who it was, but that didn’t make it any easier to believe.

“What’s the matter Silver,” Lucky asked as she glanced around, “are we too late for the party?”

Everyone seemed to inflate with hope and pride, and I couldn’t help the smile that split my face to match hers. “Welcome back Lucky. You showed up just in time.”

Author's Notes:

Hot Damn this chapter had some kiss-flank action!! And we're not even at the good part yet!! Oh boy I can see the comments for this chapter already, but I won't spoil any of the surprise.

Anyway, hold onto your horseshoes, 'cause things are about to get interesting around here!!!

See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.